So the Hobbits and I went on a Pokémon hunt let we do every weekend. Or opportunity to do so 😊. We walked all over town and beyond what we normally do. I was rather surprised, negate it was the kids ideas to keep going. Hit like 5 different raids, hatched like 9 eggs, kids leveled up a couple of times. I’m still working my way to level 36…… Yeah, if you play the game, you know it’s a grind.

Plus there was a car show downtown with the farmer’s market. Plus great music and food.

Any board gamer knows the simple truth of the hobby: your wallet will hate you. Some games are more expensive than others, though, to the point where they don’t seem worth it. It may seem better to convince your friend to buy it and have them host game night instead. However, there are some you absolutely need on your shelf if you can afford it. Here are the top five games, in no particular order, that are worth spending your hard earned cash on for 2018.

#1: Arkham Horror LCG With the core set being initially cheap, you might be wondering why it’s on this list. Well, as wonderful as the core set is, Fantasy Flight took the business model of a drug dealer with this one: the core set is just not enough. You need more. That’s where the two existing (soon to be three) expansions and 14 separate “mythos” packs come. It adds up fast, trust me. Completely worth it, though; Arkham is an addictive combination of card game and roleplay that will keep you coming back for more.

#2: Star Wars: LegionSome of the most gorgeous and detailed figures I have seen in a while are packaged in this glorious game. If you want to add some awesome figures to your collection, this one is totally worth it since it includes the likes of Luke Skywalker and the OG Dark Vader. Set in the time of the Galactic Civil War when the Empire and the Rebels duked it out in brutal infantry battles, Star Wars: Legion is a strategic and engaging game, even if it’s meant for just two players (but really, who’s complaining about that?). Don’t let sticker-shock scare you away from the thrill of adventure.

#3: ZombicideZombicide is an exciting cooperative game with a rearrangeable map and strong influences from pop-culture (in fact, the character models are based off of real-life stars like Sheldon Cooper or Rick Grimes). If you’re a player who enjoys zombies, comedy, and action, this is the perfect game for you—and if you want, you can take five friends with you. Charged with a scavenging mission that changes depending on the number of players, you’ll mow down hoards of zombies that grow in number and ferocity as the game progresses (and have a lot of fun doing it). This game is one that you and your friends will treasure.

#4: Mansions of Madness I was hesitant to put another Fantasy Flight Arkham game on here, but this one is too good. A co-op roleplay adventure game with several different campaigns, Mansions has innovated a new way to offer you story and puzzles—through the use of an app that acts as an efficient game master. The use of the app in the game cuts down on the time it takes to set up and smooths out the gameplay bugs from the original game. At roughly $99, it doesn’t seem that expensive. But, in true Fantasy Flight fashion, you have tons of must-have expansions to go with it.

#5: Gloomhaven This had to be on here. When you own Gloomhaven, you own one of the largest board game boxes ever—weighing in at around 20 lbs, and packing approximately 100 hours of play. Another entry in the innovative Legacy genre, Gloomhaven is an amazing co-op adventure taking place in a new and unique world. Full of story and world building, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

So, if you’re a tabletop fan and have some money to burn, do yourself a favor and get at least one of these. If you REALLY have money to burn, ignore your wallet’s whimpering and get all of them.

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